Food trays for automobiles



Aug. 23, 1966 Filed May 5. 1965 L. A. M ANALLEN 3,268,133

FOOD TRAYS FOR AUTOMOBILES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ZERO) ,4. MCA/VALLE/V ATTORNEYS- 3, 1966 L. A. MCANALLEN 3,268,133

FOOD TRAYS FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 5. 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORZEQOV ,4. Mel/V41 LE/V 1477' OR/VE V5 Aug. 23, 1966 L. A. MGANALLEN3,268,133

FOOD TRAYS FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 5, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR.AEQOY 14. MCA/VALLE/V Patented August 23, 19656 3,268,133 FOOD TRAYS FGRAUTQMOBHLES Le Roy A. McAnallen, 222 Acre Ave., Butler, Pa. Filed May 5,1965, Ser. No. 453,362 7 Claims. (Cl. 224-42.42)

This invention relates to trays for supporting food or refreshments inan automobile, and more particularly to trays that can be hung over theback of the front seat of an automobile.

It often is desirable to eat a lunch or snack inside of an automobile.One place where this occurs most frequently is at drive-in movies, whichare almost invariably provided with a refreshment stand where beveragesand sandwiches and the like can be bought and taken back to the cars.There always is a problem of safely and corn veniently holding such foodwhile it is being consumed in the cars. This is especially true when theautomobile is full of people, especially children.

His among the objects of this invention to provide a tray assembly forsupporting food in an automobile, in which two trays are supported bythe back of the front seat of the automobile, in which one tray issuspended over the front seat and the other tray in back of it, in whichthe trays include holders for cups and other liquid containers that canbe swung out of the way when desired, and in which the assembly can becollapsed and folded into a compact package for storing in the ca whennot in use.

In accordance with this invention, a pair of longitudinally spaced trayswith adjacent inner ends are supported by a pair of parallel straps thatcan rest on top of the back of the front seat of an automobile, with oneof the trays against the front of said back and the other tray againstthe back of it. A bail for each tray has a substantially straight topmember that extends transversely of the tray and is provided withdownwardly extending side members that are hinged at their lower ends tothe tray near its inner end. The ends of the straps are secured to thesetop members. Pivotally connected to the opposite sides of each tray nearits outer end is a pair of inclined suspension links, the upper ends ofwhich are provided with loops surrounding the top member of theadjoining bail between the straps to hold the top member above a pointspaced from the inner end of the tray toward the outer end of that tray.These loops are large enough to permit them to move toward each otheralong the bail and swing the adjoining links toward each other to allowthe bail to be folded down toward the outer end of the tray after theassembly has been removed from the seat back. Preferably, each trayincludes at least one cup holder that normally rests on it, but which ishinged to the tray on an axis that allows the holder to be swung up andout away from the top of the tray when desired.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of the trays inuse;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the trays in use, but with the automobile seatnot shown;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front end view of the front seat tray;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the front seat tray in collapsed condition; and

FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of both trays collapsed andfolded together into a compact bundle.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, my tray assembly includestwo trays 1 and 2, a pair of straps 3 for supporting them, and means forconnecting the ends of the straps to the trays. The straps are paralleland are intended to be hung over the top of the back 4 of the front seat5 of an automobile so that one tray can be suspended over the front seatand the other tray can be hung behind it for the use of those occupyingthe back seat. The adjacent inner ends of the two trays will engage theopposite sides of the back of the front seat.

The trays may be made in various ways, but a very suitable andinexpensive way to make them is from stiff wire mesh that has beencoated with plastic to improve its appearance, prevent it from rustingand provide it with a more nonskid surface. The marginal portions of arectangular piece of this mesh can be bent upwardly to form four sidewalls 7 for the tray. Each tray is supported by the straps through themedium of a bail pivotally attached to the tray. Thus, as shown in FIG.3, the bail for the front tray has a substantially straight top member 8that extends transversely of the tray for nearly its entire width.Joined to the opposite ends of this member are downwardly extending sidemembers 9 that are hinged at their lower ends to the tray at or near itsrear or inner end. Most suitably, the bail is made from a single lengthof stiff wire that is bent to the desired shape and that has its endslooped around a cross wire of the inner end of the tray so that the bailcan swing or fold down into the tray. The front ends of straps 3 aresecured in any suitable manner to the opposite ends of the top member ofthe bail. A similar bail 10 is connected to the front or inner endportion of the back tray, and the rear ends of the straps are secured tothe opposite ends of the top member of this bail.

To hold the front tray level while it is being used, there is a pair ofsuspension links 12 connected to the bail and tray. Each of these links,which preferably are formed from stiff wire, has its lower end loopedaround the top wire of the tray at one side of it near the front of thetray. From this point the link is inclined upwardly and backwardly tothe top of the bail, where the upper end of of the link is provided witha large loop 13 surrounding the top member of the bail. As shown in FIG.1, the length of the links is such that the bail will have to inclineforward and locate its top member above a point spaced an inch or two infront of the rear end of the tray so that the weight of the tray and itscontents will press its rear end against the back of the front seat.This action and the suspension links will hold the tray level. The linkloops 13 are large enough to permit them to move toward each other alongthe bail without binding on it, thereby swinging the links toward eachother so that the bail can be folded down into the tray when it is notin use. Since the loops are between the ends of the straps, it isdesirable to bend the upper portions of the links so that the loops areoffset inwardly relative to the remaining portions of the links in orderto prevent the links from interfering with placing food on the tray orremoving it from them.

The back tray is provided with suspension links 15 like those justdescribed and for the same purpose. It is desirable, however, that thedistance from the top of the rear bail 10 to the front or inner end ofthe rear tray be greater than the distance between the rear end of thefront tray and the top 8 of its bail. The reason for this is that theback of the front seat of an automobile slants backwardly, so that inorder to space the rear ends of the straps from the back of the seat thetop of the bail must be farther back on the tray. This means that if thebail is pivoted to the inner end of the tray, the side members of thebail must be longer than the corresponding side members 9 of the frontbail. A smaller bail can be used if its ends are pivoted to the backtray some distance behind the front end of the tray as shown. Sincemoving the bail backward on the rear tray interferes to some extent withthe use of the front end portion of that tray, it is desirable tocompensate for this by making the rear tray somewhat longer than thefront tray. The addi- 3 tional length should be about two inches, whichwill take care of the inclination of the usual seat back.

In order to hold the trays at a fixed elevation and to prevent thestraps from possibly slipping lengthwise on the seat back, U-shapeclamps 17 can be attached to the straps in any suitable manner. Theclamps will fit down over the top of the seat back and thereby hold thestraps. Preferably, the clamps have some spring to them so that theywill grip the seat back tightly.

To help hold cups or the like on the trays, each of them may be providedwith one or two cup holders. Preferably, there is one cup holder on eachouter corner of the tray. Each of the cup holders may be formed from aU-shape loop 19 of the same wire mesh of which the trays are made. Theupper wire of each of these loops 'has its ends 20 looped around the topwires of the adjoining side wall and outer wall of the tray. This notonly holds the loop in place so that it can hold a cup on the corner ofthe tray, but it also permits the loop to be swung upward on a diagonalhorizontal axis and outward and down past the corner of the tray so thatthe holder can be completely removed from the area of the tray withinits side walls. This removal is desirable when no beverage is to beplaced on the tray or when the cup happens to be larger than the holderwill accommodate.

After this tray assembly has been used and it is desired to put it away,it is lifted off the seat back and then the bails and links are swungdown into their respective trays as shown in FIG. 4. One tray is theninverted over the other tray as indicated in FIG. 5, with the strapsfolded into the space between the trays. The compact rectangularassemblythus formed can be inserted in a suitable bag or case or boundtogether by a strap. The package can be placed in the trunk of the caror on the shelf in front of the rear window until it is needed again.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained theprinciple of my invention and have illustrated and described what I nowconsider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have itunderstood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated anddescribed.

I claim:

1. A collapsible tray assembly for supporting food in an automobile,comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced trays having adjacent innerends, a pair of parallel straps adapted to rest on top of the back ofthe front seat of an automobile and support one of the trays against thefront of said back and the other tray against the back of said back, abail for each tray having a substantially straight top member extendingtransversely of the tray and having downwardly extending side membershinged at their lower ends to the tray near its inner end, the ends ofsaid straps being secured to the top members of the bails adjacent theirends, and a pair of inclined suspension links pivotally connected attheir lower ends to the opposite sides of each tray near its outer end,the upper ends of each pair of links being provided with loopssurrounding the top member of the adjoining bail between said straps tohold said member above a point spaced from said inner end toward theouter end of the tray, and said loops being large enough to permit themto move toward each other along the bail and swing the adjoining linkstoward each other to allow the bail to be folded down toward the outerend of the tray after the tray assembly has been removed from a seatback.

2. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, in which each ofsaid bails slants toward the outer end of the underlying tray.

3. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, in which the traythat is to engage the back of the seat back is longer than the othertray, and the distance from the top member of the bail on the longertray to the inner end of that tray is greater than the distance from theinner end of the other tray to the top member of the bail thereon.

4. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, in which said traysand bails and links are made of stiff wires, and the lower ends of thebails and links are looped around some of the tray wires for rotationthereon.

5. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, including a cupholder normally resting on each tray and hinged thereto on an axisallowing the holder to be swung up and out away from the top of the traywhen desired.

6. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, in which the traysare rectangular and have upwardly extending peripheral walls, and a cupholder normally rests on each tray in one corner thereof, said holderbeing pivotally connected to the adjoining outer end wall and side wallof the tray on a horizontal diagonal axis to permit the holder to beswung up and out over the corner of the tray to remove it from the areaof the tray enclosed by the four Walls.

7. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 6, in which each ofsaid cup holders is a stiff loop with the ends of the loop pivotallyconnected to said adjoining walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1959 Speir.9/1960 Peterson 22442.46

1. A COLLAPSIBLE TRAY ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPORTING FOOD IN AN AUTOMOBILE,COMPRISING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED TRAYS HAVING ADJACENT INNERENDS, A PAIR OF PARALLEL STRAPS ADAPTED TO REST ON TOP OF THE BACK OFTHE FRONT SEAT OF AN AUTOMOBILE AND SUPPORT ONE OF THE TRAYS AGAINST THEFRONT OF SAID BACK AND THE OTHER TRAY AGAINST THE BACK OF SAID BACK, ABAIL FOR EACH TRAY HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT TOP MEMBER EXTENDINGTRANSVERSELY OF THE TRAY AND HAVING DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE MEMBERSHINGED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS TO THE TRAY NEAR ITS INNER END, THE ENDS OFSAID STRAPS BEING SECURED TO THE TOP MEMBERS OF THE BAILS ADJACENT THEIRENDS, AND A PAIR OF INCLINED SUSPENSION LINKS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED ATTHEIR LOWER ENDS TO THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH TRAY NEAR ITS OUTER END,THE UPPER ENDS OF EACH PAIR OF LINKS BEING PROVIDED WITH LOOPSSURROUNDING THE TOP MEMBER OF THE ADJOINING BAIL BETWEEN SAID STRAPS TOHOLD SAID MEMBER ABOVE A POINT SPACED FROM SAID INNER END TOWARD THEOUTER ENDOF THE TRAY, AND SAID LOOPS BEING LARGE ENOUGH TO PERMIT THEMTO MOVE TOWARD EACH OTHER ALONG THE BAIL AND SWING THE ADJOINING LINKSTOWARD EACH OTHER TO ALLOW THE BAIL TO BE FOLDED DOWN TOWARD THE OUTEREND OF THE TRAY AFTER THE TRAY ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM A SEATBACK.